The AI Corner

Join host Mike Bayly and Matteo Castiello, founder of Insurgence, as he walks us through his journey from a planned career break to spearheading enterprise generative AI adoption across Australasia.

Learn practical takeaways including: the power of low‑friction, task‑first AI use cases; how composable point solutions can scale into transformative systems; and why AI success depends on business‑led change management.

In this episode we discuss:

• 00:00 – Intro & guest bio

• 00:28 – Matteo’s career pivot into AI

• 01:25 – From SAP to generative AI design sprints

• 02:53 – Launching Insurgence to tackle enterprise challenges

• 04:12 – Balancing fast wins with longer‑term AI value

• 05:09 – Augment workflows before transforming them

• 07:02 – Selling business solutions, not tech first

• 10:17 – Improving retention via efficiency (not cost cuts)

• 12:05 – Views on NZ & Australia AI policy landscape

• 14:02 – Everyday adoption of tools like ChatGPT in enterprises

• 16:19 – Platform‑agnostic approach to AI ecosystems

• 18:40 – Unexpected challenges of building an AI consulting firm

• 19:38 – The evolving mix of products and services at Insurgence

• 22:23 – Conditional value of verticalized agent startups

• 25:18 – Outro & next steps

MATTEO CASTIELLO'S LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matteocastiello/

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Erin came to the couch overwhelmed. Too many AI tools. Too little time.And one big question: what tools do I actually need to stay ahead in the future of work?In this episode of AI On The Couch, Mike strips it back. Forget chasing every shiny new tool, the real game is getting really good at one. Whether it’s ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or something else, depth beats distraction.No fluff. No jargon. Just the essentials to keep pace with the future of work.SUBSCRIBE TO STAY AHEAD:NZ AI News: https://theaicorner.co.nz/subscribeNZ AI Events: https://theaicorner.co.nz/p/ai-events-in-new-zealand

Join host Mike Bayly and Justin Flitter, founder of New Zealand.ai, to hear how local business leaders unlock AI’s potential by anchoring adoption in business strategy, cultural heritage, and context.

Learn how businesses can shift from ad‑hoc experimentation to sustainable AI adoption, create defensible IP using internal data, and safeguard cultural identity through context‑rich models.

In this episode we discuss:

• 00:00 – Intro & guest bio• 00:29 – Evolution of AI narrative since 2017• 01:52 – Tackling hallucinations through better inputs• 05:12 – Starting NZ.ai and early in‑person meetups• 07:30 – Who’s experimenting with AI and why ROI matters• 10:19 – Bottom‑up vs top‑down adoption and security concerns• 14:25 – NZ’s cultural and democratic edge in AI innovation• 15:46 – Using AI to enshrine business and iwi heritage• 18:06 – Embedding AI agents and rethinking workflows• 22:48 – Context is king—treat AI like an intern with memory• 24:12 – Essential human skills: critical thinking, questioning, language• 26:21 – AI‑native mindsets and speed as strategy• 27:12 – Privacy myths and demystifying prompt‑ing• 30:04 – Preparing people for AI‑reshaped roles as a growth opportunity• 34:15 – AI isn’t the answer to every problem: start with strategy

JUSTIN FLITTER'S LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinflitter/

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Join host Mike Bayly and 18‑year‑old guest Nicholas Hardwick, founder of Quela.io, an AI and IoT startup solving real-world business problems, while still at uni.In this episode, Nick shares how he built from failed ventures to global clients. Discover how Quela.io is pivoting from services to scalable products, why Nick hires locally while expanding in India, and what he's learned about AI adoption across generations and cultures.In this episode we discuss:• 00:00 – Intro & guest bio• 00:55 – Nick’s early interest in AI & generative models• 01:53 – First ventures: Be Better, BrandLaunch, then Quailer.io• 05:13 – Operating between NZ and India: hiring, clients & market insights• 06:34 – Pivoting Quailer into AI, cybersecurity & server hardware services• 10:17 – Insights from Uni: merging commerce, innovation & AI studies• 12:12 – Generational and cultural views on AI in NZ vs India• 17:01 – Uni support: the Atom innovation hub & AI‑inclusive coursework• 21:44 – AI education: when to allow it and how to use it responsibly• 22:10 – IoT x AI: from smart lighting to geo‑fenced phone access systems• 25:35 – Nick’s legacy: young entrepreneurship and innovation in NZ tech• 28:44 – Advice for AI beginners: free courses, YouTube, MIT, TEDx• 29:14 – Outro & next stepsNIKOLAS HARDWICK'S LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolas-hardwick-71839616b/SUBSCRIBE TO STAY AHEAD:NZ AI News: https://theaicorner.co.nz/subscribeNZ AI Events: ⁠https://theaicorner.co.nz/p/ai-events-in-new-zealand

Erin left the AI hackathon buzzing with questions about a new buzzword she kept hearing: vibe coding.Love by some. Hated by others. Instead of typing lines of code, developers (and even non-developers) are now using natural language to spin up apps in minutes. Tools like Lovable make it possible to say “build me something like Airbnb” and instantly see a working prototype take shape.In this episode of AI On The Couch, Erin puts Mike on the spot to explain what vibe coding actually is, why it matters, and whether it really means anyone can build software without being technical.From prototypes that look like Slack to why great developers are more valuable than ever, we explore what vibe coding accelerates, where it falls short, and how it changes the future of building software.Chapters:00:00 – What is vibe coding?00:30 – How Lovable works01:29 – Talking to apps in natural language02:23 – Cloning Airbnb and Slack03:22 – Why developers still matter04:20 – The acceleration effectNo jargon, no hype, just clarity on what AI can actually do, how it saves time, and which tools are worth your attention.SUBSCRIBE TO STAY AHEAD:NZ AI News: https://theaicorner.co.nz/subscribeNZ AI Events: https://theaicorner.co.nz/p/ai-events-in-new-zealand

Join host Mike Bayly and guest Dan Xu, CEO & Co-founder of Element X, for a candid look at how pragmatic, pre-hype AI development took root in New Zealand. From bioengineering to building one of NZ’s first AI consultancies, Dan explains what’s changed, and what hasn’t, since GenAI went mainstream.

Learn why most AI pilots stall, what use cases are actually working, and how businesses can adopt AI without chasing buzzwords. Dan also unpacks NZ’s strengths as a global sandbox, the real promise of open source, and how student partnerships help bridge the research-to-industry gap.

In this episode we discuss:

• 00:00 – Intro & guest bio

• 00:29 – From bioengineering to building with AI

• 01:28 – What early AI in NZ looked like

• 03:50 – Three mature AI use cases today

• 05:42 – Where AI can do the most good

• 07:26 – Element X’s build-first consulting model

• 10:12 – Why most POCs don’t reach production

• 12:04 – Customers are getting more realistic

• 14:09 – NZ is behind—but uniquely positioned

• 16:28 – Investment, talent, and global competition

• 18:13 – NZ’s opportunity as a live AI sandbox

• 19:12 – Research-to-product gap in universities

• 21:36 – Quick fire: Gemini’s research mode

• 23:03 – Overhyped: one-person AI unicorns

• 23:32 – Open source levels the playing field

• 24:31 – Underrated NZ AI: Unique Digital Humans

• 25:00 – Advice: join the AI Forum, start small

DAN XU'S LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielxu64/

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35 weeks pregnant and still asking questions about AI 🤯.

Erin’s curiosity hasn’t slowed down: every chat turns into questions about prompts, tools, or how AI is reshaping the way we work.

That curiosity is what sparked the idea of AI On The Couch, where Erin asks questions and Mike does his best to break it all down in plain, practical ways.

In this first episode they're tackling ChatGPT’s Agent Mode: what it is, how it works behind the scenes, and why it could completely collapse the gap between “I need something” and “it’s already in motion".

From finding a concrete cutter in minutes to showing how agents take over repetitive tasks, we unpack the good, the risky, and why it matters for the future of work.

00:28 – What is Agent Mode?
01:26 – GPT-5
02:22 – Deep Research + Operator
03:48 – Concrete cutter example

No jargon, no hype, just clarity on what AI can actually do, how it saves time, and which tools are worth your attention.

Join host Mike Bayly and guest Nadia Ellis, a former tourism marketing leader turned AI consultant, as they explore how AI agents, curiosity, and human-centred design can transform Kiwi businesses. From a personal health pivot into the AI space to building her consultancy “Curiosity”, Nadia shares how she helps leaders adopt AI in practical, joyful, and sustainable ways.

Discover why starting small builds trust, how to think of AI as a teammate, and why evals are essential for quality outputs. Learn about Nadia’s go-to automation tools, tips for personal and process AI adoption, and how personality-driven AI assistants can boost engagement.

In this episode we discuss:

• 00:00 – Intro & guest bio

• 00:52 – Nadia’s accidental entry into AI

• 01:36 – Using AI in academic research

• 03:01 – Curiosity: from marketing to AI consultancy

• 04:43 – Helping leaders build AI capability

• 06:00 – Why NZ’s AI adoption stats can be misleading

• 07:23 – Treating AI as a teammate

• 08:18 – Nadia’s go-to AI tools and platforms

• 12:03 – Starting small to build AI trust

• 14:21 – First-principles thinking in AI builds

• 17:34 – Vibe-coding rapid AI solutions

• 25:36 – Humanising AI assistants to drive engagement

• 32:29 – Why SMBs may lead NZ’s AI adoption

• 34:23 – Vertical vs horizontal AI agents

• 36:12 – Nadia’s advice for AI beginners

• 37:33 – Closing thoughts & outro

NADIA ELLIS'S LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-ellis/?originalSubdomain=nz

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Join host Mike Bayly and guest Karrina Mountfort, founder of the AI Assembly and CTO at Web‑based AI, as she shares her journey from building enterprise systems to pioneering community‑focused AI in New Zealand. Discover why she reframes AI adoption as education and ethical licensing, and why real human connection matters just as much as the tech.

In this episode we discuss:

00:00 – Intro & guest bio

00:32 – How Karrina entered the world of AI

01:31 – Transition from ML systems to generative AI

02:01 – The “AI license” concept: process before tech

03:22 – Reason for founding AI Assembly & rebranding

05:13 – Events, open learning and how to participate

06:34 – Connecting businesses, grads and students

08:27 – Her AI Story stream empowering women

10:46 – Expanding beyond tech backgrounds

14:03 – Karrina’s experience as a female AI leader

16:15 – Advice for women getting into AI

17:31 – Which industries are embracing AI first

19:20 – Hesitancy and challenges among NZ SMEs

20:47 – Managing hype vs sustainable implementation

22:11 – Framing AI as change‑management, not silver bullet

27:13 – Operational wins in education & healthcare

29:02 – The underrated value of existing tools

KARINA MOUNTFORT’S LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karrinamountfort/

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Join host Mike Bayly as he chats with Heath Waugh, founder of Matter Studio, New Zealand’s first AI-powered product photography studio. With two decades of experience in commercial photography, Heath is blending traditional studio craft with generative AI to create faster, more flexible, and more cost-effective brand imagery.

Discover how hybrid workflows are transforming product shoots, from furniture brands showcasing full catalogues in 200+ virtual settings to exporters tailoring imagery to overseas markets. Heath also shares candid insights on creative resistance, future trends like AI-generated fashion shoots, and actionable advice for businesses keen to leverage AI-driven content.

In this episode we discuss:

• 00:00 – Intro & guest bio• 00:29 – Heath’s journey from photography to AI• 01:24 – What AI-powered photography really means• 02:18 – Why furniture brands adopted AI first• 04:11 – Cost and time savings for businesses• 05:31 – Testing and iterating product images• 06:18 – AI-generated humans and ethics• 07:16 – Creative community resistance to AI• 09:30 – Hybrid workflows combining old and new• 10:23 – Heath’s end-to-end creative process• 12:16 – Front-loaded workflows vs traditional shoots• 17:59 – Cost comparisons and ROI for brands• 19:48 – Working with international clients• 20:17 – Future of AI photography and control• 23:25 – Quick-fire round• 26:00 – Outro & next steps

HEATH WAUGH'S LINKEDIN

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